Monday, March 23, 2009
The Truth Hurts.....
I really liked what Dr. Wong said in our Module 5 introduction online about teachers being like fashion designers in the classroom with goals to have students "try things on" - what an interesting and cool connection! As I watched an episode of "What Not to Wear" on TV, I guess Stacy and Clinton are educators as well in their profession. They are definitely honest to their "subjects" but as they say - THE TRUTH HURTS. I think one challenge we have in the classroom is giving constructive criticism to students without making them feel discouraged. Age is definitely a factor, as younger students have a harder time taking in criticism. However at the same time, older students may just hide their true feelings better....
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I agree with you completely, but I also feel that older students don't want to be patronized. They want the truth so they can just go get it done. They do need us to be careful, but the older students seem to be happier with instant gratification. The sooner they can go do what they need to do to get done and be successful, the happier they are. Maybe that's just my experience in middle school...
ReplyDeleteAbbie,
ReplyDeleteI think you are definitely right about older students wanting the feedback quite promptly to "get it done".....I think I was that way in college too right! Maybe to make time for "other" stuff and things to do...haha!
The idea of trying things on also resonated with me. It's important not to pass judgment when the "clothes" don't fit or the style doesn't suit the needs of the student. As teachers our primary goal should be to give students as many things as possible to try on so they can find the style and size that best works for them.
ReplyDeleteI agree that we should make efforts to accommodate different learning styles, in order for students to feel comfortable with the "fit". Of course, we do this in order that they may have a better chance at succeeding. However, it is also important for students to understand that, in order to function in a society, in this case school, they sometimes must wear things that don't really fit them. We have a dress code at our school (as I'm sure most do). The students don't always like it. And they certainly don't like having their clothing choices challenged by authority. Sometimes the educational process is the same way. There is often a right and a wrong way to do something. Either you do it right or you fail. Differentiated instruction is helpful in assisting students who are challenged, but the State's expectations do not differentiate.
ReplyDeleteI agree that giving feedback is often times a tricky thing. However, we learn from out mistakes, don't we?
ReplyDeleteGaoming